Apparatus for sintering or agglomerating metalliferous substances



A. S. DWIGHT.

APPARATUS FOR SINTERING QR AGGLOIVIERATING METALLIFEROUS SUBSTANCES. APPLICATION FILED FEB.4, 1910. RENEWED APR. 23, 12.

Patented Oct. 4,192..

I 8 Wibmwoeo M S f Z /IZ 7% M ma 'rious sorts of means Patented Un t dd, lhdd,

rroir or new annsnr'.

ARTHUR S. DWIGHT, OF NEW YUlLtK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY MJESNJE ASSIGNMENTS TO DWIGHT dz; LLOYD METALLURG'IGAL C0 MJPANY, 015 NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORA- APJPARAT'US FOR SIN'IJERING 0ft AGGLOMlERATING METALLIJFEROUS SUBSTANCES.

original application died December ea, 1907, serial No. MEMO. Divided and this application filed February a, 1910, Serial No. 5%,116. I ltenewcd April 23. M12. Serial No. 692,548.

To all w ham it may concern:

Be it known that l, ARTHUR El. Dwrcirr, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Sintering or .digglomerating Metalliferous Substances, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for treating ores, they being more particularly intended for use in the treating of ores which are susceptible of having combustion carried on therein after an initial igniting has been efi'ected, such as ores of the sulfid class which can be desulfuriaed and sintered. i

have heretofore exploitedand perfected means for igniting the ore for such treatment which utilize jets of gas, and have employed such devices to a large extent. But under many circumstances and in many localities l[ have found that other igniting apparatus must be employed, After considerable experimenting l have succeeded in providing an ignition heat and flame of the i right intensity and volume, which I deliver to the ore mass in such waythat, when cooperating in proper manner with an air forcing mechanism, an ignition of the ore can be started, such that internal combustion can thereafter be maintained by the air currents.

An igniting apparatus such as is presented in this patent can be combined with vafor supporting and carrying the ore, and in respect to such devices or features of construction the present invention is not limited.

For the purpose of illustrating how the invention can be constructed and operated, l have presented in the drawings, more or less conventionally, a mechanism for supplying, transporting, sintering, desulfurizing a mass of ore, and finally delivering it in sintered masses, such as is shown and described in my application Eierial No. t0l,8tl(l, filed December 23, 1907 of which application this case is a division, and which application matured into Patent No. 1,027,110 dated May 21, 19W

ll igure l is a side elevation tus such as referred to. I

Fig. 2 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in section, on a larger scale, of some of the parts of the apparatus adjacent to the firing or igniting region.

F ig. 3 is a cross section on the line llll-l][l of'lFig. l.

Fig. l is a longitudinal sectional View, on alarger scale than the other views, illustrating another form of the invention.

For the purposes hereof it is merely suflicient to note that, in the drawings, A represents an air suction box, over which travel the ore-supporting cars or pallets B. Each of these carries one or more grate sections C that are suitably supported. Each car or pallet is mounted upon wheels D adapted to travel upon tracks or guides, shown at F, F.

K indicates a hopper or feeding receptacle which is supplied with the ore, initially, and from which it is delivered in charges or in a stream to the cars or pallets B as they travel below it.

he cars or pallets, after receiving their charges, move past the igniting mechanism. where the combustible elements of the ore are ignited, and then travel over the air chamber A during which travel an internal combustion within and throughout the charges of material being treated takes place while the particles thereof are maintained in a quiescent state with reference to each other, so that when they come to the end of this portion of their treatment the said charges have been changed from masses of pulverulent particles to sintered, agglomerated or coherent masses. At the end of the track section l they reach the downwardly curved guide at F with which the wheels of the pallets successively engage. From this part of the guide-way the pallets 'or cars move to the inclined and returning part of the track or guide-way at F, along which they travel in inverted positions. At H, there arelifting and power transmitting wheels, adapted to engage with the pallets or cars and carry them upward to the track section 1F, and then by a pushing actlon impart forward travel to them during their next cycle. The wheels H are rotated by the belt '1 connected with their shaft.

of an appara- At U there is an air forcing apparatus, here shown as a suction fan, connected by a trunk or duct at J with the air box A, and adapted to exhaust the air from the latter, causing currents of air to pass downward through the ore on the pallets or cars, as shown y the arrows in Fig. '1, for the purpose of maintaining internal combustion within the ore mass after the combustible constituent thereof has been ignited at the surface of the ore In the mechanism for effecting the initial ignition of the ore there is a fire chamber, indicated by Y. It may be located at any suitable place. It is shown as placed at the side of the ore holding and transporting apparatus. Preferably it has a grate, as shown at y, upon which a bed of burning coal or suitable fuel can be maintained, as shown at y.

The products of combustion are carried over a bridge wall at 3 and are delivered downward upon the top surface of the ore body.

shown by means of a flue Y across the body of the ore, and having an opening such that the flame and the products of combustion from the fire bed at y can be caused to impinge upon the surface of the ore and inflame the combustible con stitue'nts thereof. The flue terminates in an upwardly turned leg or pipe Y which may finally discharge the products of combustion from the igniter at any suitable point, H 7

By an examination of the drawings it will be seen that the flue Y extends across the apparatus, being supported just above the edges of the side walls of the pallets B. When the apparatus is in use it 'is filled with flame and hot products of combustion supplied thereto from the fire chamber Y, and

the width of the flue is suflicient to maintain a relatively broad zone of ignition, where the heat is so intense as to insure complete ignition, of the combustible constituents of the ore at its surface from side to side of the apparatus. The longitudinal side walls of the flue extend so near to the surface of the ore that they serve to direct the hot products of combustion, which serve to set firev to the ore, to an area thereof corresponding with the area of the open bottom of the igniter flue Y. It is no objection to the practical working of the apparatus if the lower edges of the longitudinal side walls are slightly above the surface of the ore, as represented in the drawings, since all that is required is that the hot igniting materials within the flue shall be confined so as not to quickly dissipate and shall be directed to an area of the ore surface substantially corresponding with the area of the open bottom of the igniter.

An igniter of this character can, under most circumstances, be employed with This is efiected in the construction greater economy than one which depends upon the use of gas, and, moreover, can be employed in regions and at places where gas is not obtainable, and where a desulfurizing and sintering apparatus of the present sort would be prohibited if de endent thereon. And again the volume an intensity of the flame and products of combustion from the fire chamber can be varied to meet different conditions in the ore; where the latter is of a more inflammable character the fire in the chamber can be correspondingly reduccd; where the ore is more refractory and less combustible a more intense combustion can be provided in said chamber.

As has been herein pointed out my invention relates to the art of sintering or agglomerating metalliferous substances that are initially in a pulverulent or fine condition; and one of the elements of the apparatus has been termed the igniter. This element is, as its name suggests, a device or means for merely setting fire to the combustible constituent of the mass of material being treated,which material is, after ignition, caused to be sintered or agglomerated by internal combustion carried on within the mass; and it is in use, acting upon a particular body or mass of material, for a comparatively total period of time required to treat such mass or body to effect the sintering or agglomerating result desired. Such ignitcr is to be distinguished from the fire chamber of a reverberatory ore roasting apparatus or furnace and from the burners employed in such furnace, where the material to be treated is subjected to the action of flame through out the entire period of treatment, and where the roasting, calcining, or other desired result, is directly and primarily effected by the action of the flame to which it is sub jected.

In Fig. f I have illustrated a different form of igniting means for burning solid fuel from that illustrated in the other views. It consists of a brazier Q across the bottom of which is arranged a screen Q or other suitable perforated support for the fuel. This brazier is placed over the moving pallets, close to the hopper, and is particularly Well suited where charcoal is employed for igniting the ore. The fuel within the brazier is ignited from above, and the down draft produced by the fan U causes the hot gases of combustion from the brazier to be brought into contact with the ore, starting combustion therein. As the fuel burns the ashes drop through the perforated screen or fuel support and fresh fuel, fed from above, is ignited by upward radiation.

It will be understood that in many respects there can be modifications of the parts fro e ess n a fea ures. of the invention,

brief time only, considering the 1 ,aaaa 50 such modifications relating either to details of structure or relative positions of the parts.- lit is advisable to have the combustion chamber which supplies the heated or inflamed products of combustion adjacent to those points on the ore mass Where the ignition is to occur, but in this respect there can be variation. ll prefer to place this element at one side of the ore support, but it canbe placed in other relative positions and accomplish desired results.

By taking the flame and heated products from the upper part of the combustion chamber over the Wall or bridge such as at if, the flame and products can be concentrated and delivered forcibly at the desired place.

In both forms of the igniting means herein illustrated and described, there is an open bottom closure above the exposed'surface of the ore mass, arranged to be filled With the hot igniting materials used to set fire to the ore mass. The walls of the closure direct the said hot igniting materials laterally and cause them to act, through the open bottom of the closure, directly upon the surface of the ore mass, over an area equal to that of the open end of the closure, and Which is of sufl icient expanse to insure a thorough intense ignition that will not under any circumstances met with in practice go out after the separation between the igniter and the ignited area. of the ore masstakes place. It is in these respects, to wit, the directing of r the hot igniting materials to a definite area in earlier patents of mine for of considerable width by the aforesaid closure, features of practical importance, that the present invention is characterized And in these respects the igniters herein described and illustrated are distinguished from an igniting device such as illustrated instance, in patent 916,391 of March 23, 1909, where the igniter consists of a gas pipe perforated or provided With burner tips and so arranged as to cause a row of open or exposed igniting gas flames to impinge upon the surface of the ore along a narrow line of quite limited area. By confining the hot igniting materials Within a chambEr as described, the intensity of the available heat employed for igniting is increased and more easily controlled and directed, than is possible when ignition is secured from gas burned in the open; and by applying the igniting heat to a sufliciently wide area of the ore at one and the same instant of time, I am able to insure practically perfect ignition of the entire ore surface treated, including those parts which do not quickly ignite, by reason of a local deficiency of the combustible constituent of the mass, as well as those local areas which. take fire more easily. Further-.

more the said closure prevents dissipation of the heat developed for igniting purposes, by Wind or other natural movements of air across the apparatus, as is experienced When open, undirected and unprotected igniting flames are used.

I do not in this application claim the specific form of igniter illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings, as that is made the subject of a separate application filed on the 25th day of March, 1912, Serial No. 685,910, as a division of my application filed March 23, 1909, Serial No. 407,680, of which application this case is also a division. Nor 'do I in this application claim the process herein described which consists in forming a thin pervious layer of the material being treated, applying to a relatively broad area of the upper surface thereof a laterally defined body of materials heated to a temperature suiiicient to ignite the combustible constituent of the layer of material, and passing air through the mass to continue the combustion started by such ignition, as such method or process constitutes the subject matterof my application No. 698,467, filed May 20, 1912 as a division of this case.

What li claim is:

1. lln a mechanism for igniting, desulfurizing and sintering ore, the combination with means for holding a body of ore disposed in an open stratum of a fire chamber adjacent to said ore mass, and a duct arranged to deliver the products of conbustion from the said chamber to a limited area of the surface of the ore mass for the purpose of igniting it, substantially as set forth.

2. In a mechanism for igniting, desulfurizing and sintering ores, the combination with means for holding a body of we in a stratum, and means for moving the said stratum, of a fire chamber adapted to hold a mass of solid fuel in a state of combustion, and a duct arranged transversely across the layer of ore and adapted to receive the products of combustion from the said fire chamher and deliver them to a limited area of the surface of the ore mass as it is moving adjacent to the said duct, substantially as set forth.

3. In a mechanism for igniting, desulfurizing and sintering ores, the combination with means for holding a body of ore in a stratum, means for moving the said stratum, and means for causing currents of air to pass through the ore, of a fire chamber adapted to hold a mass of solid. fuel in a state of combustion, and a duct adapted to receive 'the products of combustion from the said the said ore, of a duct for guiding heated products of combustion into contact with the ore on the side of the mass where the air enters, and a fire chamber communicating with the said duct and adapted to hold a mass of burning fuel to supply the said heated products of combustion.

5. In a mechanism for desulfurizing and sintering ore, the combination with means for holding a body of ore disposed in an open stratum, of a relatively small combustion chamber for containing burning solid fuel arranged to deliver the hot products of combustion from the said chamber to a limited or restricted transverse area of the surface of the ore mass for the purpose of igniting it substantially as set forth.

6. In a mechanism for desulfurizing and sintering ore, the combination of means for holding a body of ore disposed in a stratum, means for moving the said body of ore, means for inducing a current of air to pass through the said layer of ore, and a com-- bustion chamber adapted to contain burn-- ing solid fuel arranged to deliver the hot products of combustion therefrom to the surface of the ore for the purpose of igniting it, suchproducts of combustion being carried into the ore layer or mass by the aforesaid induced air currents, substantially as set forth.

7. 'In a mechanism for sintering metalliferous material containing a combustible constituent, the combination of means for holding a body of the material disposed in a stratum the upper surface: of which is exposed, means for inducing a current of air to pass through the layer of material, a combustion chamber for containing burning solid fuel arranged to deliver the hot products of combustion therefrom to a re- .stricted transverse area of the surface of the ore for the purpose of igniting it, and. means for causing a relative movement of the layer of ore and the combustion chamber whereby the products of combustion are brought successively into engagement with substantially all of the surface of the material.

8. In a mechanism for sintering ore, the combination with means for holding a body of ore disposed in a layer, of an igniter for the ore arranged above the exposed surface thereof, having a chamber with an open bottom, and arranged to confine hot igniting materials and direct the heat therefrom to an area of the ore mass corresponding with the area of the open bottom of the igniter chamber.

9. In an apparatus for agglomerating and sintering ore,.a support for a thin pervious bed of ore, means for causing a supporter of combustion to pass through the ore, and an igniter, comprising a chamber in which is maintained a constantly renewed supply of products of combustion heated to an orcigniting temperature, and arranged to confine such products of combustion to a laterally defined area and to difect them upon the surface of the ore.

10. In an apparatus for sintering or agglomerating a mass of material initially in a fine condition and containing a metalliferous constituent and a combustible constituent, the combination of a series of independent holders for confining the material, means for supporting the holders in a manner to permit tilting of each independently of the others for discharging the contents, a single igniter adapted to successively and temporarily act on the material in the several holders, and comprising a chamber in which is maintained a supply of a hot gaseous igniting agent, the bottom of the chamber beingopen, the surface of the material being ignited and the open bottom of the igniter being maintained in close proximity during the igniting operation, and means for causing a combustion-supporting gas to pass downward through the material in the said holders during and. subsequent to the ignition to cause a sintering from internal combustion to take place in the material after ignition.

11. In a mechanism for sintering ore, the combination with means for holding a body of ore in a thin pervious layer, of an igniter for the ore having an open bottom, arranged above and transversely across the said ore layer, and a fire chamber located at one side of the ore layer, delivering flame and hot products of combustion into the said igniter.

12. In a mechanism for sintering ore, the combination of a movable holder for a body of ore in a thin pervious layer, an igniter for the ore having an open bottom, arranged to deliver from above a relatively broad mass of flame and heated products of combustion over an area of the ore defined by the longitudinal side walls of the igniter, a fire chamber arranged to deliver flame and hot products of combustion to the said igniter, means for moving the ore holder along a prescribed path and under the igniter, and means for causing currents of air to pass through the pervious layer of ore upon the holder after the holder has passed beyond the igniter.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

ARTHUR S. DWIGHT.

Witnesses:

IRENE A. Rrvrnma, C. M. STANLEY. 

